The UK's Daily Telegraph reported today that the White House is exploring multiple options to maintain control over the Chagos Islands, including a proposal: once the UK transfers sovereignty to Mauritius, the US would then purchase the territory directly from Mauritius. The Diego Garcia military base on these islands holds significant strategic importance, and concerns over its future use have prompted the Trump administration to evaluate various contingency plans—this land acquisition idea being one of them.

The US government’s consideration of “buying” the Chagos Islands essentially reflects an aggressive pressure tactic driven by America’s intense desire for the region’s critical strategic value and deep distrust toward its ally, the UK, aimed at securing lasting military dominance. At present, this proposal appears more like a bargaining tool intended to push the UK into concessions on sovereignty transfer, rather than a fully developed, actionable plan.

The key elements of this proposal include:

After the UK formally hands over sovereignty to Mauritius as planned, the US would negotiate directly with Mauritius—bypassing the UK—to acquire the archipelago.

Guaranteeing uninterrupted, absolute control by the US military over the Diego Garcia base.

Currently, this plan has been submitted by US Treasury Secretary Bessent to President Trump, though reports indicate it is just one among several alternatives under consideration and not the top priority.

Historical Background on the Chagos Sovereignty Dispute: In 1965, Britain forcibly detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius and expelled around 2,000 residents, leasing the main island, Diego Garcia, to the United States for a military base. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that Britain’s claim to sovereignty over the Chagos Islands was illegal. Under mounting legal and diplomatic pressure, the UK and Mauritius signed an agreement in May 2025, under which the UK agreed to transfer sovereignty and pay £3.4 billion, while retaining use of the base through a 99-year lease.

The core contradiction in this agreement lies in fundamentally differing assessments between the UK and the US regarding the long-term stability of the base. The UK believes locking in a 99-year lease via international treaty is the optimal solution; however, the US contends that any form of "lease" carries inherent uncertainty, and in extreme scenarios, Mauritius could terminate the agreement. Thus, the US seeks complete, exclusive sovereignty over the land itself.

For Mauritius, this proposal amounts to trading sovereignty for money—an arrangement likely to provoke strong domestic political backlash and thus extremely low acceptance. Nevertheless, it could also leverage this situation as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the US, seeking better economic compensation and improved conditions for the resettlement of indigenous inhabitants.

This plan faces substantial real-world obstacles. From an international law perspective, “territorial sale” is exceptionally rare in modern times and could invite widespread condemnation from the global community. Diplomatically, such a move would amount to a public rebuke of the UK, severely damaging the historically close US-UK relationship. Moreover, Mauritius may be reluctant to abandon the UK after having endured a difficult negotiation process to reach their existing agreement.

The Chagos dispute extends far beyond colonial-era legacies—it is deeply embedded in great power competition across the Indian Ocean. The base remains the sole and irreplaceable strategic hub for the US military in the region, enabling B-52 bombers to conduct missions across the entire Middle East and South Asia without refueling.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867390376138764/

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